Read Online Village E3: Survival of the Human Spirit by James Holler - Free Book Online

and collected as much as they could carry, mostly from the ground.
They usually had to go through a few bad ones before they found one worth
keeping. They were both feeling refreshed after their time in the water earlier
in the day. Their little dip in the ocean was as close to recreation as they
could get here.
    "Why do you think they picked
us?" Hailey asked John, out of the blue. "Well, I think genetic
diversity has something to do with it. After all, we are all ethnically
different," said John, without hesitation, having thought about it
already. "So, you think they expect us to reproduce?" asked Hailey.
"I think we are some sort of science project, or zoo animals, or part of a
nature preserve, or something like that. I think they can track every move we
make, and are treating us like humans treat animals. Who knows, maybe they
think we are an endangered species," said John.
    Hailey took a few moments to think
about what John had just said. Even though she had similar thoughts herself, she
didn't feel totally comfortable talking about them. "So, what should we
do?" Hailey finally asked. "I don't know, but I don't like feeling
like a monkey in a cage. It might be a planet sized cage, but it is still a
cage, as far as I'm concerned," said John, not holding back.
    They had similar conversations
before, but until now John hadn't told Hailey exactly what he was thinking.
After a long pause, John continued, "So what do you think?" "I
think you are probably right," said Hailey. They didn't talk the rest of
the way back home. At first, it was the hut, or camp, but now it was home. Like
it or not, they didn't have a choice.
    When they finally arrived back home,
they set their fruit down on the ground, next to the fire. "I'm going to
take Katie some water. She hasn't been drinking enough lately," said
Hailey, picking up the drinking cup. Hailey filled the cup and made her way to
the hut. She stepped in, then stepped right back out. "She's not
here," said Hailey, sounding concerned. "She's probably just using
the bathroom," said John. Not accepting that, Hailey called Katie's name
twice, then listened.
    After several attempts with no reply,
John started to get a little concerned as well. "She usually heads over in
that direction when she goes," said John, pointing to a nearby tree. They
both walked in the direction John had pointed and he started yelling Katie's
name every ten to fifteen seconds. His throat finally started to hurt, so he
tried whistling. That sound will probably carry farther anyway, he
thought.
    They walked about a hundred yards,
then stopped. "I don't think she would go this far. Let's try going
back," said John. "This doesn't make any sense. She hasn't been out
of the hut hardly at all, and today she decides to go on a hike," said
Hailey. "Surely she wouldn't do anything to hurt herself, would she?"
asked John. "I don't think so, but I don't know," Hailey responded,
concern lacing her words.
    John already had his knife, but when
they got back home, he picked up the spear too. He and Hailey were both worried
now. Katie had been so depressed that she barely moved on most days, only
leaving the hut for short periods of time, to drink, eat, or use the bathroom.
    They searched for hours, yelling and
whistling, with no luck. As it got closer to sunset, they stayed closer to
home, not wanting to get lost themselves. Finally they had to give up, before
it was too dark to find their way home. "I don't want to leave her out
here alone," said Hailey. "I know, but us being out here in the dark,
isn't going to help her any. We'll build the fire up bigger and call from
there. She'll be all right if it doesn't rain," said John.
    Luckily, they had the firewood supply
built up. They both started adding wood, and in no time the fire was roaring
bigger than they ever had it before. They stayed up half the night yelling and
whistling, while keeping the fire going, causing them both to be exhausted.
"Maybe we should call it a night,